Fifa suspends Madagascar

2008-03-20 15:53

Nairobi - Fifa has suspended Madagascar from international football because of the government's interference in the sport on the island, an official statement said on Thursday.

Fifa suspended the Malagasy Football Association (MFM) after it was informed of the rejection of a court appeal against a ministerial order to disband the federation.

Last week the Malagasy Sports Minister Patrick Ramiaramana sacked the entire MFM committee days after violence in the Mahamasina stadium in Antananarivo forced the cancellation of an African champions League match between host side Ajesaia and Costa Dol Sol of Mozambique.

Ramiaramana blamed the MFM for the incident and announced that fresh polls to elect a new panel to run the sport would be held in three months.

But Fifa's executive committee meeting chaired by president Sepp Blatter on March 14 gave the country a three-day grace period to reverse the decision.

"As a result, the suspension of the MFM and the measures stipulated in Article 14.3 of the Fifa Statutes have come into effect today Wednesday 19 March 2008, as decided by Fifa's Executive Committee on 14 March," said the Fifa statement.

"Likewise, neither the special delegation the Minister of Sports wishes to set up, nor any decisions this body may eventually take, will be recognised by Fifa," the statement added.

Due to the suspension Madagascar may not feature in the qualifiers of the World Cup 2010 which commences in May.

- SAPA